Day 01
Costa Brava Villages, Boat Trip and Empúries Ruins
- Departure is from Barcelona Nord Bus Station every Friday at 8:30 am. We recommend arriving about 15 minutes early.
- We will take the motorway and arrive at around 10:15 am in Calella de Palafrugell, a small fishermen's village that still preserves its traditional character. It is a place of great architectural and scenic beauty. With its small bays, the town forms an incomparable fusion of land and sea.
- You will have free time to explore the village, enjoy the scenery, and take great photographs.
- At about 11:00 am, we will begin walking along the Camino de Ronda to the neighbouring town of Llafranc. The walk takes about 30 minutes and is suitable for all ages. The Camino de Ronda runs along the Costa Brava and was once used to control maritime smuggling. Thanks to this route, you can discover beautiful spots that would otherwise be inaccessible. Llafranc is also a small, elegant, and captivating seaside town with all the charm of this coast.
- At about noon, we will travel to Pals, an inland town set on top of a hill. The village is built entirely within an integrated medieval site. At the top stands a cylindrical tower from the 12th century, visible from far away. It has an excellent terrace offering stunning views of the Costa Brava and its surroundings.
- Walking through the cobbled streets, you will feel as if you have gone back in time. Take time to admire the round arches, facades with pointed window arches, and stone balconies, all perfectly restored.
- Our next visit is l'Estartit, a seaside village with an important port that is famous worldwide as a major diving centre because the Medes Islands archipelago lies only one kilometre from the coast.
- The Medes Islands are of great interest because of the wide variety of flora and fauna in the marine area. They have been declared a National Natural Park and ZEPIM, a specially protected area of importance in the Mediterranean.
- You will have free time for lunch, and at 3:00 pm we will board the Nautilus boat.
- The sailing lasts about 1 hour and 20 minutes. First, we will head to the outer islands, where the views are spectacular. The itinerary then continues to the stunning cliffs of Sierra de Montgrí, accessible only by boat and one of the most preserved and unspoiled areas of Costa Brava.
- Our last stop is the extensive Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries, where we will arrive at around 5:00 pm.
- Once there, we will begin a guided tour of the entire site. It is the only place in Spain where both a Greek city and a later Roman city existed together. Empúries is also located in privileged surroundings, right in front of the sea.
- In the Greek city, we can admire the remains of the city walls, the acropolis, the market square, and numerous other buildings.
- In the Roman city, the highlights include a mosaic floor in excellent condition, the forum, and vestiges of the street layout.
- At 6:00 pm, the tour finishes and we return to Barcelona, where we will arrive at about 8:00 pm.
